Legume pod thresher including an auger

ABSTRACT

In the harvesting of legumes, apparatus having a plurality of rods mounted on a rotating axle provides a vibratory contact force to the seed containing pods to provide acceleration and impact forces to separate the seeds from the shells or pods containing the seeds, and an auger feeds the pods through the apparatus to optimize the time the pods are in contact with the rods.

This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants' U.S.application Ser. No. 07/920,966 filed on Jul. 28, 1992, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention has to do with the harvesting of legumes, such as, peas,lima beans, broad beans as well as other types of beans sometimeshereinafter referred to as seeds. More specifically, this invention isan apparatus that is normally transported through a field to "shell"legumes as they are being harvested. The core of the apparatus is arotary brush-like threshing means having projecting tines or rods thatare vibrated at a predetermined adjustable frequency. The rods interceptthe flow of the vine mass and legumes in their pods through theharvesting/threshing machine and impart positive and negativeacceleration in the mass such that the seeds impact against therestraining pod and break the pod such that the seeds are separated fromthe pods and can thereafter be separated by gravity, or a mechanicalseparator, for subsequent collection. The rods also contact some podswith impact forces that tend to split or break the pods.

2. Brief Description of the Known Art

Legume harvesters have traditionally relied on impact forces to separatethe seeds from the pods or casings. Many legume harvesters includebeaters, paddles or rotary mounted flat surfaces that impact or swat thelegume containing mass of vines and pods. This impact forces the pods tofracture and thus release the contained seeds. These rotary beatermachines are effective but will cause some damages to a certain portionof the crop due to bruising, splitting or pulverizing of the product. Inthis type of beater machine the pods may be subjected to six or moreimpacts per cycle with the beaters. This high incidence of impactsincreases the chance that free peas, for instance, will be struck by abeater and damaged. Harvesting and threshing means of this general type,that is, of the type having beaters, are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos.3,709,231 and 3,771,531.

A tomato harvester incorporates a shaker section having a forcedbalanced drive for use in shaking fingers like the apparatus disclosedherein. The tomato harvester is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,570 whichis assigned to the same assignee as this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the apparatus presented herein the object of the invention is tocause the separation of peas, beans, seeds and the like from the casesor pods in which they grow with the least amount of damage possible at aspeed and efficiency that justifies the expenditure of capital for theharvester. This object is accomplished by directing a mass of vinescontaining, e.g., pea pods to a threshing means that includes tines orvibrating fingers that are energized to vibrate in the path of the massof vines being fed into the harvester. As the mass of vines and pods iscontacted by the vibrating fingers, the acceleration imparted to thepeas in the pods, as well as the impact of the pea pods against thevibrating fingers causes the seeds to escape from the pods. Once theseeds are released from the pods the seeds will be free to fall througha screen that separates the vines and pods in a convention manner fromthe seeds-the seeds being the desired end product.

In a preferred embodiment the mass of vines is fed into a reel--a largegenerally circular drum having openings for the escape of peas or beanswhich is common to conventional pea harvesters--which contains athreshing means having the vibrating fingers. The threshing meansassembly, herein sometimes referred to as the threshing means, isarranged longitudinally in the reel with its center line generallyparallel to the rotational center line of the reel. The threshing meansmay be of a length shorter than the length of the reel, however in apreferred embodiment it will be almost as long as the length of thereel. The reel will rotate such that the mass of vines is directed intoa "bite" between the reel surface and the vibrating fingers of thethreshing means. The vibrating fingers of the threshing means are allclose to the same length and extend outwardly from a central axis of thethreshing means. The threshing means and the reel both are driven in thesame direction.

As the mass of vines enters the bite the seed containing pods willcontact the vibrating fingers and will be opened or partially openedenough to allow the seeds to be shaken out of their pods. The threshingmeans is provided with a drive means, an eccentric weight drive commonlycalled a force balanced shaker for instance, to vary the amplitude andfrequency of torsional vibration. Also means to vary the rotationalspeed of the threshing means assembly relative to the reel rotationalspeed is provided. Thus the pods can be subjected to various degrees ofopening forces depending on the crop variety and maturity.

In addition, the present invention is provided with an auger means tohelp feed the mass of vines longitudinally along the thresher means. Theauger means comprises an auger which is mounted for rotation within thereel on an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the reel. The augerdriven by a conventional motor which is variable to vary the speed ofrotation of the auger. By varying the speed of the auger, the rate atwhich the mass of vines is conveyed through the reel can be adjusted. Inthis manner, the amount of contact the vines have with the threshermeans car be controlled depending on the type of legume crop beingharvested. In addition to being able to adjust the amplitude andfrequency of torsional vibration of the thresher means, this allows foroptimum threshing of the vines and pods to increase the productivity ofthe harvester.

The manner in which the object of this invention is realized will beapparent from an understanding of the following specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a harvester including the threshingmeans of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a representation of the threshing chamber of the harvestershown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a representation of vines to be threshed entering thethreshing chamber of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a representation of the seeds exiting the threshing chamber ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a representation of an alternative embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 6 is a representation of another alternate embodiment of thethreshing chamber of the harvester of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in the first fourdrawing figures. FIG. 1 is presented to simply show the environment ofthe invention. In FIG. 1 the field going legume harvester, generally 10,is supported on ground engaging wheels 12. Trailing rear wheels 16 canbe moved up and down in a conventional manner to adjust the fore and aftinclination of the harvester so that its inclination with respect to thehorizontal can be maintained at the angle selected to insure flow ofproduct through the threshing unit. Thus, the rear wheels are mounted ontrailing arms 18 pivoted to the frame and raised and lowered by verticalhydraulic cylinder assemblies 22. A cab and engine compartment 24 areprovided and means are also provided for driving the front wheels 12 andthe various hydraulic pumps for the hydraulic motors that operate thehydraulic conveyors, threshing means and other articles of equipment.

A pickup indicated generally at 26 is provided for removing the mass ofvine and crops from the ground and introducing it into an elevatorconveyor 28 that feeds the crop into the threshing unit of the presentinvention. The details of the pickup are not critical to the presentinvention except for the fact that the crop is fed, in one embodiment ofthe invention, into a lower portion of the thresher, as best seen inFIG. 3. In another embodiment of the invention, depicted in FIG. 6, thecrop is fed into an upper portion of the thresher.

FIG. 2 is a representation of the threshing chamber generally 32 whichshows the two critical elements of the invention. The large diameterrotating reel or screen 34 has the usual openings in the screen portionsuch as 36 which is carried around the circumference of the reel in aconventional manner. The reel is mounted for rotation around itslongitudinal axis and is driven in a conventional manner most usually bya hydraulic motor. Drive means is not critical to the invention. In FIG.2 the rotation of the reel would be counterclockwise and would be as iflooking from the back of the field harvester.

Carried inside the reel is the threshing means, generally 38, which ismounted for rotational movement with its net rotational motion beingcounterclockwise. The threshing means 38 is a long apparatus, generallyas long as the interior working area of the reel, that has a diametersomewhat less than the interior diameter of the reel. In the preferredembodiment shown the "diameter" of threshing means 38 is abouteighty-two centimeters from the tip of one finger to the tip of thefinger opposite the first finger. The threshing means includes a centralaxle 40 into which a plurality of vibratory fingers, such as 42, areinserted and retained. The fingers are preferably made of fiberglassrods three-eighths of an inch in diameter and numerous fingers areinserted along the length of the threshing means central axle such thatas the vines and seed pods pass between the threshing means and the reelthere is a greater than not chance that a seed pod will be in thevicinity of vibrating finger as the vine mass moves between thethreshing means and the interior wall of the reel.

The threshing means 38 includes a drive means, indicatedrepresentatively at 43, for varying the amplitude and frequency ofrotational oscillation, or torsional vibration, of axle 40 such that theconsequent amplitude and frequency of oscillation of vibrating fingers42 is variable, but would be around twenty cycles per second in apreferred embodiment. As stated above, one means of driving thethreshing means with the necessary vibratory induced motion is shown inU.S. Pat. No. 4,335,570 mentioned above. Item 44 is a representation ofthe general location of an infeed or supply of to-be-threshed seed podsas well as vines which makes up the vine mass.

In FIG. 3 the vine mass generally 46 is shown entering the threshingchamber through representative infeed area 44 and being deposited on thereel. The vine mass 46 follows the surface of the rotating reel 34 intothe bite between the rotating threshing means 38 and the reelsurface--again, this surface is a screen or perforated surface wellknown in the art. The threshing means 38 also has a net counterclockwiserotation sympathetic with--but not necessarily the same speed as thesurface speed of reel 34.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the vine mass encounters the vibrating fingersthe pods are opened or partially opened enough to allow seeds to beshaken out of the pods. Release of the seeds is accomplished by thevibrating fingers 42 rapidly accelerating and/or decelerating the seedsin the pods, or the pods relative to the seeds, as well as partiallythreshing and partially shaking the seeds from the pods. As statedabove, the threshing means 38 is provided with drive means, such as theforce balanced drive, to vary the amplitude and frequency of torsionalvibration of threshing means 38. Threshing means 38 is also providedwith means to vary the rotational speed of the whole rotor assembly(generally by varying the speed of the hydraulic drive motor). Thus theseed pods can be subjected to various degrees of opening forcesdepending on crop variety and maturity.

FIG. 4 is a simple representation showing that some seeds have beenreleased from their pods and the seeds passed through the screen surfaceof the reel. The seeds will be collected in a well known manner. Thevine mass continues up and over the threshing means and will eventuallytumble to the relative bottom of the threshing chamber where the vinemass will again enter the bite between the threshing means and thescreen but at a point downstream of its initial entry point depending onthe inclination of threshing chamber 32 (which can be elevated orlowered in a well known manner by means of the cylinders 28).

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5 wherein multiplethresher means 48 and 50 are provided. These thresher means are smallerversions of the thresher means 38 shown in FIGS. 2 through 4 and operatein substantially the same way as the single thresher means embodimentwith the difference being the flow of the vine mass through the unit.For instance, in this FIG. 5 unit the vine mass will enter the thresherat the relative floor portion and as the reel 52, which is similar tothe reel shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, rotates counterclockwise the vinemass will be carried upwardly and enter the bite between thecounterclockwise rotating thresher means 48 and then be generallydirected into the bite between the two thresher means 48 and 50. Theserotate counter to each other, that is, the thresher means 48 rotatescounterclockwise and the thresher means 50 rotates clockwise. Analternative embodiment would have the reel rotating clockwise and thevine mass then feeding first into the bite between the reel surface andthe vibrating threshing means 50. In these FIG. 5 embodiments the actualthreshing is done in the same manner as in the preferred embodiment.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, depicted in FIG. 6, an augermeans 54 is provided for feeding the mass of vines and podslongitudinally through threshing chamber 32. Auger means 54 preferablycomprises a conventional auger having appropriate dimensions. Forexample, auger 54 may have a diameter of approximately 330 millimetersand a pitch of approximately 330 millimeters, although other diametersand pitches may also prove effective. Auger means 54 may also comprise aconventional beater, but modified so that the paddles are pitched orinclined toward the rear of threshing chamber 32. Auger means 54 ismounted for rotation along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation ofthreshing means 38 and is driven by a drive means 56, such as aconventional hydraulic motor, which is adjustable to vary the rate ofrotation of auger 54. As shown in FIG. 6, auger 54 is preferably mountedin an upper quadrant of threshing chamber 32 near threshing means 38 andclose to reel 34. In operation, the vine mass enters threshing chamber32 through infeed opening 44, which in this embodiment is located in theupper portion of threshing chamber 32, and tumbles down to the relativebottom of reel 34, where by action of the counter-clockwise rotation ofreel 34, it is directed to the bite between reel 34 and threshing means38. The rotation of reel 34 and threshing means 38 then directs the vinemass over threshing means 38 and into contact with auger 54, where byaction of rotating auger 54 the vine mass is displaced slightlylongitudinally, the approximate amount of longitudinal displacementdepending on the speed of rotation of auger 54. The vine mass willproceed to tumble to the relative bottom of reel 34 and continue in themanner described above until it exits the end of threshing chamber 32opposite infeed 44. In a variation on this embodiment auger means 54 islocated in the lower left quadrant of reel 34, as shown in phantom inFIG. 6. By varying the speed of auger 54, the rate at which the vinemass is conveyed through threshing chamber 32 can be controlled. In thismanner, the amount of contact the vines and pods have with threshermeans 38 can be controlled depending upon the type and maturity oflegume crop being harvested. Therefore, together with being able toadjust the amplitude and frequency of torsional vibration of threshingmeans 38, auger means 54 allows for optimum threshing of the vines andpods to increase the productivity of the harvester.

It should be recognized that, while the present invention has beendescribed in relation to the preferred embodiments thereof, thoseskilled in the art may develop a wide variation of structural detailswithout departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, theappended claims are to be construed to cover all equivalents fallingwithin the true scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for harvesting pods containinglegumes which comprises:a reel comprising an elongated, cylindricalenclosure having a plurality of openings therein, the enclosure definingan interior of the reel; the reel being mounted for rotation on theharvester; a threshing means for effecting the release of the legumesfrom the pods; the threshing means comprising a central axle and aplurality of tines extending radially outwardly from the axle; the axlebeing mounted for rotary motion within the reel; means for rotating thethreshing means; means for varying the amplitude and frequency oftorsional vibration of the threshing means to thereby vibrate the tines;and auger means, extending substantially through said reel, for feedingthe pods longitudinally through the interior of said reel.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the threshing means is mounted within thereel so as to form a bite between the threshing means and the interiorsurface of the reel.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the threshingmeans is located in a lower quadrant of the interior of the reel.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein the threshing means occupies more thantwenty percent of the interior of the reel.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a second threshing means for effecting the release ofthe legumes from the pods.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein thefirst threshing means is mounted in a first upper quadrant of theinterior of the reel and the second threshing means is mounted in asecond upper quadrant of the interior of the reel.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 6, wherein the first and second threshing means rotate in oppositedirections.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tines comprisefiberglass rods.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means forvarying the amplitude and frequency of torsional vibration of thethreshing means is adjustable to vary the frequency of vibration of thetines.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the frequency of vibrationis in the range of twenty cycles per second.
 11. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the means for varying the amplitude and frequency oftorsional vibration of the threshing means is a force balanced drive.12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for rotating thethreshing means is adjustable to selectively vary the rate of rotation.13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the auger means comprises an augermounted along an axis parallel to the axle of the threshing means. 14.The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the auger means further comprises adrive motor which is adjustable to selectively vary the rate of rotationof the auger.
 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the auger meanscomprises a beater having paddles which are inclined toward the rear ofthe interior of the reel.
 16. An apparatus for harvesting podscontaining legumes which comprises:a reel comprising an elongated,cylindrical enclosure having a plurality of openings therein and beingmounted for rotation on the harvester; a thresher comprising a centralaxle and a plurality of tines extending radially outwardly from theaxle, the thresher being mounted for rotary motion within the reel withthe axle being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reel; means forvarying the amplitude and frequency of torsional vibration of thethresher; means for transporting the pods to the thresher at one end ofthe reel; auger means extending substantially through the reel along anaxis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reel for feeding the podstoward the distal end of the reel.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16,wherein the auger means comprises a beater having paddles which areinclined toward the distal end of the reel.